A few days later, Yang Kai spotted Su Mu approaching with Li Yun Tian and the others. Despite their bruised and swollen faces, they carried themselves with a renewed sense of pride. Su Mu's expression was a mix of emotions—admiration, reluctance, frustration, and relief all rolled into one.
"Hand it over," Su Mu said, extending his hand. Li Yun Tian passed him two wine jugs. Su Mu kept one and silently handed the other to Yang Kai. Without hesitation, they both took deep swigs before smashing the jugs on the ground, letting the wine soak into their clothes.
A passing Dark Hall disciple sneered. "Drinking in broad daylight? That'll be five contribution points deducted."
"Take it," Yang Kai said with a careless shrug.
Ignoring the disciple's glare, Su Mu gestured at Yang Kai. "Come on, let's talk at your place."
By the pond near Yang Kai's hut, Su Mu and the others busied themselves patching up the roof, an unspoken way of making amends for their past conflicts.
Once finished, Su Mu hesitated before nodding. "From now on, we'll consider you our senior brother too. About the past… I'm sorry."
"I never took it seriously." Yang Kai grinned.
Laughter broke the tension, and any lingering grudges melted away. Su Mu, finally feeling at ease, leaned in with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Senior Brother, I have a question…"
"What is it?"
"That day… You touched, right?"
Yang Kai blinked. "Touched what?"
"You know… Hu Mei Er's…" Su Mu's voice trailed off as he wiggled his eyebrows.
Yang Kai chuckled. "You were all there. Didn't you see?"
"We didn't see clearly! So… did you?"
Smirking, Yang Kai teased, "If I did, what of it? She put my hand there herself. I only gave her a lesson."
Su Mu swallowed hard. "What did it feel like?"
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "Haven't had any experiences yourself?"
Su Mu shook his head rapidly. "And you have?"
Yang Kai sighed dramatically. "Ah… Let's not dwell on the past."
Su Mu laughed but then grew serious. "Senior Brother, you should be careful. Hu Mei Er isn't one to let things slide. Since you brushed her off, she definitely won't let it go."
"You mean she wants to deal with me?"
Laughing loudly, Su Mu leaned in conspiratorially. "Not in the way you're thinking. More like… dealing with you in bed. You'll see. She'll try a thousand different ways to seduce you. Until she gets what she wants, she won't give up. Senior Brother, your luck with women isn't shallow, that's for sure."
Grinning, Su Mu pulled out a small bottle. "Here, Small Returning Pellets. To help you recover the World Qi you used up."
Yang Kai accepted with a nod. Su Mu grinned. "Now wait here. I'm taking you to a good place. You won't be disappointed."
...............…
Inside Black Wind Forest, a group of High Heaven disciples made their way deeper into the dense woods. Yang Kai followed, his curiosity piqued by Su Mu's claim that he had a good place to show him.
Observing the well-trodden path, Yang Kai mused, "A lot of people must pass through here."
Su Mu, walking ahead, glanced back with a grin. "Senior Brother, do you know why we ran into Cheng Shao Feng and his people near Black Wind Forest that day?"
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed. "Were they heading here too?"
"Exactly. The Black Wind Forest is a meeting point for disciples from High Heaven , Storm House, and Blood Group. It's the same distance from all three sects, so we often cross paths."
"What's so special about this place?" Yang Kai asked.
Su Mu chuckled smugly. "There's an underground market inside the forest. Disciples from the three sects and even rogue cultivators from Black Plum Village gather here. It's a place where people trade martial arts techniques, cultivation materials, and rare items. If you're lucky, you might find something valuable."
Li Yun Tian chimed in. "Last time, Young Master Su bought a Tianyuan Fruit for just twenty silvers!"
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "Tianyuan Fruit?"
"Yeah, an Earth-grade lower-tier spirit fruit!" Su Mu beamed. "The seller had no idea what he was offering. Normally, it would cost at least two thousand silvers. I practically stole it!"
Yang Kai was intrigued.
If this market had Yang-attributed elixirs, it might help his cultivation, he still had the bottle of Small Returning Pellets Su Mu had given him.
Just then, the distant hum of voices reached them. Looking up, they saw an open clearing bustling with activity. Stalls lined the area, filled with martial arts techniques, weapons, and rare elixirs.
"This is Black Wind Trade," Su Mu said proudly. "A place for disciples from all three factions to trade. You can find rare treasures here—if you know where to look."
Yang Kai's eyes flickered with interest.
Su Mu suddenly pointed to a wooden house at the clearing's edge. "See that small wooden house? That's where my older sister is stationed. She's the overseer of our faction here."
Yang Kai raised a brow. "Your older sister?" He couldn't help but wonder—would she be one of those breathtaking beauties that often appeared in such settings? Stories always seemed to follow a pattern. Mysterious senior sisters, icy yet alluring, capable of both freezing hearts and stealing them away. Would she fit that mold, or would reality disappoint him?
Su Mu straightened his back. "Yes. And don't even think about flirting with her!"
Yang Kai chuckled. "Is she that scary?"
Su Mu's expression turned serious. "She's a core disciple—True element Boundary, third layer. Not many in our generation can match her."
As they approached the wooden house, Su Mu hesitated, took a deep breath, then knocked lightly. "Elder Sister, I've come to visit." His voice took on an uncharacteristically soft tone.
The others stifled their laughter as a cold, melodious voice answered, "Enter."
They stepped inside. The interior was sparse, but strangely tranquil. Yang Kai noted how the outside noise seemed to vanish the moment they entered. This house has some kind of formation—likely one designed for sound suppression. Clever. If every concealed space had such formations, it would be an excellent tool for secrecy and training.
Then, without warning, Su Mu yelped and crouched down, clutching his head.
Across the room sat a woman in pristine white robes. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, framing a face of ethereal beauty—crescent-shaped eyebrows, bright, intelligent eyes, and delicate features carved like jade. Her skin was pale as snow, her figure elegant and refined. Yet, despite her angelic appearance, an icy aura surrounded her, lowering the room's temperature noticeably.
So this is Su Yan.
Su Mu, still holding his head, whined, "Elder Sister, why did you hit me?"
Su Yan's frosty gaze bore into him. "Do you need me to tell you?"
Su Mu quickly shook his head, then nodded hastily under her piercing stare.
"Then say it."
Her voice was light, but it carried undeniable authority. Yang Kai now understood why Su Mu both feared and admired her.
He smirked. A beautiful but cold sister?